Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(Aus.) rowdyism, riotousness; thus vandemonian adj., rowdy; also as Vandemonian n., someone from Tasmania.

1825		Sydney Gaz. 3 Mar. 2/2: If ever the Vandemonians increased in wisdom, it was during the last year.
1825		Sydney Gaz. 3 mar. 2/2: We shall not fail to afford these [...] Vandemonian Cartwrights ample scope for amusement .
1831		Sydney Herald 20 June 4/1: The Vandemonians would wax mighty wrath.
1840		Colonial Times (Hobart, Tas.) 16 June 2/6: Mr Codd, who was well known to the Vandemonian portion of the population, was buried nexct day.
1849		Argus (Melbourne) 2 Feb. 2/2: Between Vandemonianism, Pentonvillany, and a’Beckettism, the citizens of Melbourne have anything but a cheering pospect before them.
1851		Bell’s Life in Sydney 25 Jan. 2/7: Hennessy, to all appearance a Van-demon-ian of the highest distinction.
1863		Victorian Hansard 22 Apr. ix 701: Mr. Houston looked upon the conduct of hon. gentlemen opposite as ranging from the extreme of vandemonianism to the extreme of nambypambyism.
1867		Cassell’s Mag. 440: ‘I never wanted to leave England,’ I have heard an old Vandemonian observe [...].
1870		Aus. Town & Country Jrnl (NSW) 19 Feb. 17/2: Refugees from Vandemonian prisons, skulkers from sheep stations.
1870		Sth Bourke Standard(Vic.) 6 May 2/4: The safety of the country was threatened by an influx of ‘Vandemonianism’ in its worst form.
1874		Sth Aus. Register (Adelaide) 7 Jan. 7/2: In an instant a grim and gaunt Vandemonian stood before me.
1880		Williamstown Chron. (Vic.) 23 Oct. 2/7: Complainant and his wife [...] made us of most ungentlemanly names, such as ‘lag,’ ‘old vademonian,’ etc.
1891		Sth Aus. Register (Adelaide) 9 Mar. 6/2: You must not call the present Tasmanians Vademonians or they will be offended.
1901		Clipper (Hobartr, Tas.) 28 Sept. 6: [headline] Vandemoninism. the Case of Anne Chalmers.
1909		Clarence & Richmond Examiner (Grafton, NSW) 23 Oct. 6/4: Suspicion rested upon a man named Clarke, an old Vandemonian ex-convict.
1919		Cairns Post (Qld) 5 May 3/2: The majority of these robbers wre Vandemonians with a ticket of leave [...] our real hard-case criminals were generally sent to that penal island.
1924		Register (Adelaide) 29 Dec. 10/4: He had to engage a thorough Vandemonian (a covnict from Van Dieman’s land) who was known by the sobruiqet ‘Cock-eye Charley’.
1933		Western Argus (Kalgoorlie, WA) 9 May 7/4: The Vandemonians, as convicts transported to tasmania were called, included many wild and desperate characters.
1943		Advertiser (Adelaide) 13 Mar. 4/4: It was not nice to be called a ‘Vandemonian’ if you were a person with a blameless past.
1952		(ref. to 1850-65) Sydney morn. Herald 9 Aug. 7/1: Australia’s bushra ging records of the years 1850 to 1865 are crowded with the exploits of the [...] runaway convicts from Tasmania, known as ‘Vandemonians’.
1973		(ref. to 1890s) ‘Gloss. of Larrikin Terms’ in J. Murray Larrikins 203: Vandemonians: Tasmanians from van Diemensland.
2003		McGill Reed Dict. of N.Z. Sl. 223: Vandemonian Literally somebody from Tasmania or Van Diemen’s Land, but it can mean rough or aggressive, by association with the original meaning of a convict.